Conservative bloggers are eagerly hyping Fred Malek's lavish praise for Bob McDonnell's gubernatorial bid. "Fred Malek recognizes a leader when he sees one," swooned SWAC Girl. But should Virginia voters trust anyone Malek endorses?What those conservative bloggers aren't talking about is Malek's sordid past as one of President Nixon's key cronies during some of the darkest days in American history. From Jonathan Schell's The Time of Illusion:
At the pettiest level, White House social life came to be regulated by a system of punishments and rewards. During the summer, an aide named Frederic Malek, who kept an eye on this aspect of White House affairs, told a reporter, "We've corralled all the goodies that are available." Cabinet aides who were "deserving" or who needed a boost "from a morale standpoint" would be rewarded with an engraved invitation to a White House black-tie function. Under the old, disorganized system of socializing at the White House, Malek pointed out, the President "could be inviting someone we want to get rid of." Now anyone of that kind would be left out in the cold. Malek was also empowered to impose more serious punishment. One of his principal jobs, he told the reporter, was to ferret out "bad guys" and to fire them. [...]These rewards and punishments were critical to keeping anyone in or tied to the executive branch quiet amidst Nixon's transgressions. Why would you raise even the smallest of suspicions if doing so might have Fred Malek on the phone telling you you're out of a job?
A "responsiveness program" was set up, under Malek's guidance, which channelled federal money to groups that gave the President political support, and cut off federal money from groups that opposed the President.
After Nixon's paranoia led him to believe the Bureau of Labor Statistics had come under the control of Democratic rivals and what Nixon termed a "Jewish cabal," Malek led the effort to reassign three officials with Jewish-sounding names. "These moves do not go as far as I would have preferred," wrote Malek in a September 1971 memo.Malek has gone on to become a successful businessman, but he hasn't stayed completely out of trouble. Malek was personally fined $100,000 and his company fined another $150,000 after being found negligent in connection to a fraud scheme.
As for his political pursuits, Malek was campaign manager of George H.W. Bush's 1992 presidential campaign and national finance co-chair of John McCain's presidential campaign. Not a great track record. Meanwhile, here in Virginia, McDonnell is only the latest in a series of failed gubernatorial candidates Malek has generously supported with five-figure donations.
Bob McDonnell is already working to strengthen his ties to Newt Gingrich. Now he's got the backing of a Nixon crony. Can an endorsement from Dick Cheney be far behind?
